Envelope machine



June 30, 1953 E. c. SAUERMAN ENVELOPE MACHINE Filed 001,. 28, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Sauermn;

mw mw. wm g Q g Q% m Q g a 1 32m} WN G Q N MN Wm QR NA m Patented June 39, 1953 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE 6 Claims. 1

The present invention relates to an envelope making machine and especially to a novel machine or apparatus for the manufacture of end opening envelopes from an envelope blank.

It is an important object of the present invention to provide an envelope making machine of novel construction and operation in which suecessive envelope blanks are gummed, scored and folded, the present construction embodying a novel improvement over that disclosed in my prior Patent No. 2,123,548, granted July 12, 1938.

Another object of the present invention is the provision in an envelope making machine of a novel construction and arrangement for applying the gum or adhesive to one of the side flaps of an end opening envelope blank, and for scoring and folding the flaps in predetermined sequence and in a novel manner. In thepresent novel embodiment, the means or mechanism for conveying the blanks and for carrying out the operations of gumming, scoring and folding these blanks are located in substantial alignment longitudinally of the machine as distinguished from theoffset or staggered relation disclosed in my prior patent, whereby the component parts of the present machine, their construction and arrangement are greatly simplified and rendered more compact and efficient.

The present invention further comprehends the provision of a novel machine for the production of end opening envelopes from envelope blanks in which these blanks are individually and successively conveyed through the machine and during such course of travel gum or an adhesive is applied to the upper surface of one of the side flaps, the blank is then scored to form the end and side flaps, the side flaps are then folded in such manner that the flap to which the gum or adhesive has been applied is folded upon and overlaps the other side flap and is affixed thereto, and gum or an adhesive is then applied to an end flap and this end flap is then folded down upon and afiixed to .the side flaps, whereby to produce end opening envelopes in a novel manner.

. Another important feature of the present invention is the provisionin an envelope making machine of a novel construction and arrangement of gumming, scoring and folding mechanism for performing these operations upon envelope blanks in predetermined sequence and in timed relation, and with the means or mechanism for performing these operations being disposed in substantial alignment rather than in offset or staggered relation as in my prior Patent No. 2,123,548.

Further objects areto provide a construction of maximum simplicity, efficiency, economy and ease of assembly and operation, and such further objects, advantages and capabilities as will later more fully appear and are inherently possessed thereby.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary top plan view of an envelope making machine embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a view in longitudinal cross section taken on the staggered line 2-2 of Fig. 1 and viewed in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a previously formed envelope blank of a type with which the present in- 3 vention is concerned, and Figs. 4 to '7 inclusive,

are plan views showing the sequence or successive operations performed upon this blank, including those of applying gum or an adhesive to a side flap, scoring, folding and joining the side flaps, applying gum or an adhesive toan end flap and folding and affixing this end flap to the side flaps to form the complete envelope.

Referring more particularly to the disclosure in the drawings and to the novel means and mechanism of the present invention as shown in the illustrative embodiment, previously blanked and slotted envelope blanks H) to whicha window or transparency A has been afiixed and after gum or an adhesive II has been applied to an end or sealing flap 12 thereof and thoroughly dried, are individually fed onto a bed plate I 3 by a conveyor system comprisin spaced apart conveyor chains I4, l4 driven by sprockets I 5 on a transverse shaft and extending longitudinally of a supporting frame l6 with its laterally offset side frame members or standards [6 and H5.

The continuous conveyor chains M, M are disposed beneath the bed plate l3 of the frame and provided with spaced, inwardly and laterally disposed lugs I! each provided with a pin or projection [8 extending upwardly through a longitudinally extending slot l9 in the bed plate I3, and with these pins of the conveyor chains disposed in aligned position in pairs transversely of the frame whereby the pairs of pins or projections on the upper portion of these continuous conveyor chains M, M are adapted to engage the rearward edge of an envelope blank adjacent the end flap l2 (see Fig. l) for conveying successive blanks to a gum applying means or mechanism indicated generally at 2!] and to a scoring mechanism indicated generally at 2!.

The gum applying means or mechanism '20 comprises a reservoir 22 mounted upon a transversely extending support 23 and containing an adhesive or gum to be applied to the upper surface of a side flap 24. Journalled on the support member 23 is a transverse shaft 25 on which is mounted a rotatable pick-up disc 25 having a part thereof depending into the reservoir 22. The periphery of this pick-up disc is maintained in contact with the periphery of a transfer roll or disc 21 which in turn intermittently engages or contacts the periphery of an adhesive applying segment 28 adjustably mounted upon an annular collar 29 secured to a transverse shaft 39 having its opposite ends journalled in end brackets on the side frame members m This segment 28 rotates in synchronism with the conveying means whereby to apply a narrow ribbon of gum or adhesive 3i to the flap 24 (Fig. 4) Adjustment is provided by means of transversely projectin plates 32 each provided with an elongated slot 33 for receiving an adjusting screw 34. Lateral adjustment of these plates 32 upon the supporting collars 23 and longitudinally of the shaft 35, permits application of the gum line 3| to envelope blanks loin a relatively wide range of dimensions.

The scoring device 2| is adapted to produce simultaneously or in a single revolution the score lines 3B, 31, 38 and 39 defining the side flaps and end flaps (see Fig. 4). This scoring device is of a type well known in the art and includes a bite bar 4! and a scoring roll having a pair of transversely and axially spaced apart rotary score blades 42 and 43 adapted to score the envelope blank 19 longitudinally and in the direction of its travel as it is fed thereunder, whereby to form the score lines 31 and 39 defining side flaps 24 and 44 which are subsequently folded onto the body of the envelope blank. The scoring device or scoring roll also includes diametrically opposed and transversely extending score blades 45 and 46 adapted to score the envelope blade at the longitudinally spaced apart planes at the score lines 35 and 38. The score blades on the scoring roll are so dimensioned as to produce score lines of the desired length and so spaced as to be placed at the proper location on the envelope blanks l and these may be readily adjusted.

As shown in Fig. 2, a resilient roller 4! is disposed beneath the scoring roll with the face of the roller projecting through a transverse slot in the bed plate 13 and in contacting engagement with the scoring blades 42, 43, 45 and 45. Thus as the envelope blanks 19 are fed by the conveyor chains [4 to the scoring device 2 I, they are then frictionally engaged by the roller 41 and the rotatable scoring roll with its scoring blades and advanced therethrough, whereupon the scored blanks with the upper surface of the side flap 24 gummed are fed forwardly beneath spaced, longitudinally extending fingers 48 and between sets or pairs of laterally and longitudinally spaced carriage or idler rollers 49 disposed above the bed l3, and power driven friction rolls 50 disposed therebeneath and of substantially greater diameter than the rollers 49. These rolls are positively driven and preferably of a resilient material or composition of substantial length, with the upper surface thereof projecting through transverse slots or apertures in the bed plate 13 and in contacting engagement with the carriage rollers 49, the latter being moimted upon pivotally mounted housing supports 5| so that they may be moved out of and into engagement with the friction rolls 50.

Positioned above the bed plate {3 in opposed 4 relation adjacent the carriage rollers 49 are a pair of folding members or plow shares 52 and 52 for foldin the side flaps 24 and 44 along their score lines 31 and 39. These folding members are located above and partly to one side of the spaced, longitudinally extending fingers 48 which lie adjacent to and inside of the corresponding score lines 3'! and 39, the leading edges 53 of the folding members being inclined downwardly and extending into a groove in the bed plate 13 so as to initiate the elevation of these side flaps preparatory to folding them upwardly and inwardly as will appear from Fig. 5. These folding members or plow shares 52 and 52 are rigidly supported upon a cross bar or support 54 but are also adjustable laterally thereof by means of a sliding tongue and groove arrangement at 55 whereby it may be adjusted to accommodate envelope blanks of different sizes.

As the scored envelope blank l0 (Fig. 4) is fed forwardly by the friction rolls 59, the folding member 52 folds its side flap 44 upwardly and inwardly sufficiently prior to the folding of the gummed flap 24 by its folding member 52 (see Fig. 5), whereby the side flap 24 overlaps the side flap 44 and the gummed portion 3| is brought into contact with the exterior face of the side flap 44. After such initial folding of the side flaps 24 and 44 has been accomplished, the partially folded envelope blank is then fed and directed between positively driven friction rolls 59 and cooperating rolls 5'! therebeneath for adhesively securing and sealing the side flaps 24 and 44 together (Fig. 6).

The resulting partially completed envelope blank H] is then advanced and moved forwardly on the bed plate [3 for the application of an adhesive or gum to the end flap 58.

and adjustably mounted wiper blade 59 carried upon and rotated by transverse shaft 6|. The wiper blade receives its gum or adhesive from a reservoir 62 through the medium of a pick-up roll 63 and a transfer roll and gum applying roll 64 geared together by suitable intermeshing or interconnected gears designated generally by the reference character 65. This gearing, reservoir 62 and cooperating rolls 63 and 94 are shown in Fig. 2 but have been omitted from Fig. 1 to show the details therebeneath. Mounted below the wiper blade 59 is a driven resilient surfaced roller 66. This roller in conjunction with the blade 59 advances the envelope blank I0 forwardly and when the blade engages the end flap 58 of a blank as it is revolved by its driven shaft 6|, it applies a relatively narrow ribbon of gum or adhesive 51 along this end flap and transversely of the bed plate l3 of the machine.

The envelope blank moved forwardly after the application of the gum or adhesive at 61 by the friction roller 66, is then engaged by a cooperating set of friction rolls 68 and 69 and advanced to. the folding mechanism comprising a reciprocating shovel or upwardly curved plate 10 mounted upon a rock shaft Tl for engaging and deflecting the forward or outer end of the end flap 58 upwardly, and spaced apart fingers or tuckers 12 carried on a rock shaft 73. These curved fingers or tuckers l2 engage the envelope blank at approximately the. score line 38 defining the forward or end flap 58, and as these tuckers move downwardly the envelope blank is fed between folding rolls [4 and 75 which fold the end flap 58 carrying the strip of adhesive 51 downwardly onto the previously folded side flaps 24 and 44 and This is accomplished by means of a transversely disposed.

thereby complete the envelope, which is furtheradvanced and discharged by theupper and lower friction rollers 'IB'and 7-7. As the folding mechanism is well known in the art; it is thought onnecessary to fully disclose its details of construction but Figs. 1 and 2 show the same generally and in itsrelationship in the assembly.

In order that the conveyor chains l4, l4 and the various rolls, rollers and shafts of the present assembly may be synchronously driven, there is provided a main drive shaftlB adapted to be driven from a motor or source of power (not shown) and this shaft drives a driven shaft 19 through intermeshing bevel gears Bil and 8|. Additional bevel gears 82 are pinned or keyed to the driven shaft 19 at spaced intervals and in meshing engagement with bevel gears 83 pinned or keyed to spaced transverse shafts 84 journalled in the frame and carrying the driven rolls and rollers mounted thereon. In addition, the drive mechanism synchronously drives or rotates the transverse shaft 30 and through sprockets and chain or other suitable drive mechanism designated by the reference numeral 85, rotates the meshing gears orpinions 86 driving the transverse shafts. 25 and 81 and the sprockets l5 for operating the conveyor chains I4.

Although the shaft 19 extending longitudinally of the machine is shown as broken at 88, this shaft is extended and provided with additional bevel gears or pinions similar to the bevel gears or pinions 83 for driving spaced, transverse shafts 84 on which the lower rolls 69, I5 and H are mounted and through cooperatin gears or pinions 89 these transverse shafts 8Q drive the transverse shafts on which the cooperating upper rolls 68, 14 and 16 are mounted. Other gears or pinions on the transverse shaft 6| carrying the adjustably mounted wiper blade 59- are designated generally by the reference numeral 90 and are geared to and drive the intermeshing train of gears 65 for operating the pick-up 63 and the gum applying and transfer roll 64 (see Fig. 2).

Thus it will be seen that the successive operations of conveying the envelope blanks Hi, the gumming of the side flap 24, the scoring of the blank, the folding and adhesively securing together of the side flaps 24 and 44, the application of the gum or adhesive to the end flap 58 and the folding and adhesively securing of this end flap to the side flaps 24 and 44 to complete the envelope 9|, are so synchronized and related that the successive blanks are continuously conveyed through the machine and operated upon during such passage.

While I have illustrated and described what is at present the preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied in other forms, constructions and arrangements and that various changes and modifications may be made in the details without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus disclosed the invention, I claim:

1. In an envelope making machine for receiving an envelope blank and gumming, scoring and folding the side and end flaps defined by the score lines to form an end opening envelope, a transverse shaft having means thereon for applying an adhesive to the upper face of one of the side flaps and other means thereon for simultaneously scoring the blank longitudinally and transversely thereof to define the side and end flaps, means for folding the side flaps inwardly and downwardly upon the body of the blank with the flap 'to-which the adhesive is appliedbeing folded overand overlapping the other side flap, means for adhesively securing the side flaps together, means for applying an-adhesive to one of the end flaps, a pair of rock shafts having means for folding the last mentioned end flap onto the side flaps, and means for adhesively securing these flaps together to complete the assembly of the envelope.

2. In an envelop making machine for receiving a window envelope blank having opposite side and end flaps with one .of the end flaps forming a closure and successively gumming, scoring and folding the side and end flaps to form an end opening envelope while the blanks are conveyed there'through, means for continuously conveying successive blanks through the machine, a transverse shaft havingmeans for applying an adhesive to one of the side flaps and other means for.

simultaneously with such application of an adhesive'scoring the blank in spaced relation with the window to define the side and end flaps, adjacent but oppositely disposed folding members adapted to receive and fold the side flaps into overlapping relation, means for securing the side flaps together, means for'applying an adhesive to one of the end flaps, and means for folding the last mentioned end flap and adhesively afiixing this end flap to complete the assembly of the envelope. 1 3. In an envelope making machine for receiving an end opening, window envelope blank having end and side flaps and gumming, scoring and folding the side flaps and an end flap and securing them together to form the pocket of an end opening envelope, conveying means including a conveyor for initially receiving the blanks and aligned feed rolls for continuously conveying the blanks in a straight path longitudinally through the machine and during such'path of travel fab-. ricating successive envelopes, a transverse shaft carrying means for gumming the upper surface of a side flap and means simultaneously therewith scoring the blanks to define the side and end flaps, oppositely disposed folding wings at the opposite sides of the feed rolls whereby these rolls feed the gummed and scored blanks to the folding wings and while they are continuously fed through the machine these wings simultaneously fold the side flaps inwardly and downwardly with.

the gummed side flap folded down uponand affixed to the other, means for gumming an end flap, and means including a pair of rock shafts carrying folding mechanism for folding and aflixing this gummed end flap to the side flaps to complete the end opening envelope.

4. In an envelope making machine for the production of end opening, window envelopes from previously formed blanks having end and side flaps, means for receiving and conveying the successive blanks in spaced relation longitudinally of the machine, a transverse shaft provided with a rotatable scoring device having scoring blades for scoring the blanks longitudinally to define the side flaps and simultaneously scoring the blanks transversely to define the end flaps, means on said shaft and rotatable with said scoring device for applying gum to the upper face of a side flap, aligned feed rolls arranged centrally of the ma' chine for conveying the scored blanks forwardly along the bed of the machine, a folding device at the opposite sides of the feed rolls for simultaneously folding the end flaps of the blanks along their score lines and in such manner that the gummed side flap is folded down'upon the opposite side flap and affixed thereto, means for applying gum to an end flap, and means for folding said last mentioned end flap and afiixing it to the side flaps to complete the pocket of the envelope with the otherend flap remaining open.

5. In an envelope making machine for the production of an end opening, window envelope from an envelope blank having a window, end and side flaps, means for receiving and conveying the blank longitudinally of the machine, a transverse member having means for scoring the blank in spaced relation with the window to define the sideifiaps and end flaps with one of the latter providing a closing flap for the open end, means also carried by said transverse member for applying a gum to one of the side flaps simultaneously with, the scoring, oppositely disposed folding members for simultaneously folding the side flaps with the gummed flap folded over and afiixed to the other, means for applying a gum to an end flap, means for folding and afiixing said gummed end flap to the side flaps to complete the pocket of the envelope, and means for conveying the blanks to be operated upon through the machine and performing the gumming, scoring and folding operations in timed relation.

6. In an envelope forming machine for the production of an end opening, window envelope from an envelope blank having a window and side and end flaps with one of the end flaps adapted to provide a closure for the open end, a bed plate for receiving the blank, conveying means for moving the blank over the bed plate and through the machine, and mechanism operating in timed relation with said conveying means for gumming, scoring, folding and adhesively securing together the side flaps and an end flap whereby to complete the pocket of the envelope, said mechanism including a transverse shaft having means for applying an adhesive to the upper surface of a side flap and means carried by said shaft rotatable in timed relation with said adhesive applying means for scoring the blank longitudinally and transversely about the window to define the side and end flaps, and folding means disposed at the opposite sides of the conveying means and in adjacent but opposed relation for simultaneously folding the side flaps upwardly and inwardly along their scoring and in such manner that the side flap to which the gum is applied is folded down upon and overlaps the other side flap.

ERNST C. SAUERMAN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Sauerman July 12, 1938 

